So, I was telling you how me and my buddies, Spike and Dinsmore, happened on to a house where the food flowed freely. There always seemed to be enough, though that didn’t stop the occasional throwdown among us cats.

Partly it was because of all of these neighborhood hangers-on who would stroll out of their houses in the morning, fully fed, and then come down to our scene for seconds! I wasn’t having it, neither was Spike, and Dinsmore will always opt for a good pawslap when he can.

The tension among all the cats was starting to cause problems. Fights were becoming commonplace and I was afraid the food was going to stop. But one day, after Dinsmore had done a number on a little marauding tuxedo cat, he won dibs to get the food first. He started to head up to the porch when out of nowhere Spike went after him – completely blindsided him. I have never seen fur fly like that! In the end, Dinsmore was beaten and ended up with a good sized scrape on his leg.

The ruckus had caused the humans to come out of the house. Dinsmore was having a hard time moving with that leg (and a little shame I think), so he didn’t put up much of a fight when the humans got him into a crate and carted him away. I could hear him howling from inside the car as it pulled down the driveway and I felt kinda bad for the poor old guy. For all his blustering, he was a decent cat and now he was being taken away to who knows where. That's him there to the right, before all the hubbub.

Dinsmore before the battle

It turns out, Spike had some fondness for the little tuxedo cat, Annabelle, and he didn’t like Dins pushing his paws on her. I had to tease Spike about that for most of the afternoon.

Later that day, the car returned with Dinsmore, still in the crate but much quieter. We were surprised he had come back…I’ve seen cats get crated and taken, never to be seen again. But this time something amazing happened. The humans took him inside and closed the door. Spike and I just looked at each other. We couldn’t believe it. He had found a home! He was a total brat and a bully and he was getting to sleep inside!

I have to tell you, being outside without a home, we make it out to be a big adventure, but it can be lonely and scary. You never know where your next meal is coming from, you never know if a bigger cat . . . or worse . . . is going to show up to mess with you. So, we talk a lot about being free cats on the road, but when Spike and I saw Dinsmore go into that house, I think both of our hearts slept a little sad that night.

Next Time: Then there was One.

Today's Cat Fact: Intervening in a cat fight is a good way to get yourself hurt. Try distraction to break up feisty felines. Use a water pistol or toss a light object, like a small pillow into the fray.